I Was a Better Smuggler than a Father
by StephenMcTowelie
Summary: In a time of peace after turning back numerous threats following the Battle of Endor Han Solo begins to slide back into his old ways as a smuggler. When parenthood is unexpectedly thrust upon him will he rise to the occasion or will the allure of a life on the edge prove to be too strong for him to resist. Rated T for violence, language and sexual references. Chapter 1 complete.
Intro:

Following the defeat of Grand Admiral Thrawn and the resurrected Emperor Palpatine, years after the Battle of Endor, the remnants of the once feared Galactic Empire fight amongst each other. In its weakened state, thousands of worlds declare their independence from the Empire and join the New Republic, born of the Rebel Alliance's triumph against the forces of darkness. With the Empire now in steep decline and the victorious Republic fleets winning decisive battles one after another against any attempt to reclaim lost Imperial territory the galaxy now looks to the future in what seems to be a new era of peace and prosperity.

In these tranquil days following the great tumults of the Galactic Civil War, Luke Skywalker, renowned Jedi knight and first Master of the New Jedi Order seeks out those Jedi who escaped his father's purge and welcomes them back into known space. Some of those he finds, the Gray Jedi, tainted by both the light and dark sides of the Force refuse to join him. The others, aging masters and their disciples brought up in secret beyond the fringes of civilization are long past their glory days when they served the Old Republic and have consigned themselves to finish out their days in exile. These Jedi in exile have long thought themselves to be the last of their line. Among them is the son of a very old friend of Luke's though his training in the ways of the Jedi was never completed and for reasons unknown he has cast aside the tenets of the Jedi Order. The Jedi Luke gathered together then dispersed to seek out Force sensitive individuals from a hundred star systems. As of yet their efforts have been fruitless. Luke, having married but as of yet fathered no children is believed to be only one who will continue the legacy of the Jedi. After all it was his lineage that was prophesied to bring balance to the Force, a prophecy corrupted by the failings of his father. This presumption would prove itself to be false however, for Luke's first padawan will not be his son, but his nephew, for the Force is strong with his sister as well.

Chapter I:

Han and Leia have taken leave on Corelia following Han's retirement from his unofficial commission with the Republic Fleet. While Leia is here on official business from the Senate, Han is simply along for the ride. With the war winding down and peace accords on the horizon between the Republic and worlds still loyal to the Empire Han's services as a commander, infiltrator and special operator are no longer needed as they once were. His role in peacetime was uncertain but for now he was but the husband of perhaps the most influential member of the new Galactic Senate, a title that carried with it much prestige but little purpose.

While his wife is going about the New Republic's business Han decides to reconnect with some old friends. It's been a long time since he's set foot on his home planet let alone his old home town. He joins his ever present companion Chewbacca and heads to a tavern favored by smugglers, gamblers, thieves and other assorted riffraff. This is where he met the guy that introduced him to the guy that got him hooked up with his first gig on a clunky old blockade runner doing odd jobs for the underworld. In time that gig led him to cross paths with Lando and that chance meeting eventually led to him acquiring the _Millennium Falcon_ and later taking that spice smuggling job for the Hutts and well, the rest as they say, is history.

Life had been bliss for the Solo family after the wedding but now, years later Han felt trapped in a life he could no longer recognize as his own. You could call it something of a midlife crisis. After his commission ended he could have taken up a position in the Corelian government or with an interest group on Coruscant. None of that stuff really appealed to Han. Politics and the doldrums of planetary administration never quite agreed with him. He needed to feel a sense of adventure. He missed the days when he was living on the edge, riding that narrow line between fortune and failure, life and death. Whether it was outfoxing the system for that one big score or picking the underdog side in a galactic civil war Han loved defying the odds. Chewbacca too was feeling as if he was something of a relic in this new age. Following the liberation of his home planet of Kashyyyk which he and Han spearheaded, Chewie had simply followed Han around as he followed Leia around sharing in the sense that they were excess baggage. They were curiosities, living history, something for children to "ooh" and "ahh" at but without a true direction in life anymore. All in all Han thought that if they were done serving their purpose, done living their dreams, the pair could at least enjoy the latter years of their life to the fullest. They had money now, and fame, or infamy depending on who you asked, why not capitalize on it and live it up?

The tavern wasn't exactly the swankiest establishment on Corelia, nor was it particularly well known but it was that particular hole in the wall one would go to when one wanted to meet up to discuss matters they did not want to be widely known. From the outside it looked like a dilapidated wreck in an equally dilapidated section of an equally dilapidated and neglected city in the armpit of what had been the old capital, back in the days when Corelia had been independent. It stood on the slope of a rolling hill packed in with other structures, many of which defunct these days, just shy of the crest of that hill. From the outside of the tavern one could look down towards the old capital and see the sunlight reflecting off the spires and marbled structures of the historic district and see the spaceport in the distance beyond that, with ships constantly ascending and descending against the backdrop of the setting sun. While the Old Capital beneath them was something of an attraction the smugglers' den here was fairly unremarkable. One could hardly even tell what it was; its signage was barely visible from the crowded dusty street. One had to walk up to its dingy grimy windows in order to know that this was an operating establishment and not some abandoned house of ill repute. Once Han weaved his way through the crowds going up and down the winding street he made his way inside. There was an outer establishment, a front which looked simply like a low end, dirty bar as much as the building's exterior presented it to be and there was an inner, hidden establishment in the lower levels built into the hill upon which the establishment stood. To get into this establishment one first had to find the hidden door which was ironically located in perhaps the nastiest restroom stall this side of Dantooine. Once Han found the door and made his way down a short spiral staircase into a dank, red velvet upholstered mezzanine he was met by the staff bouncers to whom he gave the password and characteristic hand gestures which verified his credentials as a patron.

"It's a little old but I'll let it slide. Go on in General Solo. It's not every day we get a celebrity in here." the head bouncer said before letting Han pass.

Once inside the secret underground club the look of the establishment changed dramatically. It was lit up like a Christmas tree with multicolored lights throughout the halls and around the bars and flashing, pulsating strobes where there were live bands performing in the four corners of the club. The tables were polished, the floor was clean, the upholstery was plush and the wait staff were exquisite, even more so when compared to the Greasy Joe that ran the upstairs bar. The club was like a labyrinth with nooks and crannies down various halls and walkways to allow for some degree of privacy between patrons as well as a large open area in front of the bar with several dance floors and a stage which professional "dancing girls" or "dancing boys" showcased their talents, presumably for purchase by some of the club's clientele. Han never partook or cared for that element of the underworld but as a smuggler he tolerated it. Such tolerance was harder to come by now that he had been, in an official capacity, on the right side of the law for some time now. Still he wasn't here to pass judgement on any of the trades which the Republic scorned. His former profession of spice running was still considered just as illegal. Han was simply here to check in on some very old friends and acquaintances.

Unfortunately these "friends" who were in attendance this day weren't as nostalgic about Han's return as he was. Corelian smugglers were a tight knit community going all the way back to the days of the Old Republic, through their time as faithful blockade runners for the suppliers of the Rebel Alliance to today. Now they were back to their dingier, more ignoble roots of servicing the black market and all manner of gangsters and warlords while Han remained in their eyes a white knight of the New Republic. In a sense the Corelian smuggler community felt Han to be a sellout, having forsaken their brotherhood and friendship for a life of ease within the new Galactic State.

"If it isn't the great General Solo." a bar patron mockingly welcomed Han. The obese, greasy man next to said patron laughed heartily along with him as Han passed by.

"No need for formalities here, It's still the same old me guys, a couple shiny badges and a title don't change who I am." Han replied magnanimously deflecting the insult.

"Oh really? When was the last time you made the Kessel Run with your old pal Malak Buun?" a Twi'lek smuggler whom Han had worked with in the past asked derisively.

"I bet he couldn't even do it in fourteen parsecs anymore." laughed another experience blockade runner much to the delight of his crewmates seated around him.

"Twelve." Han corrected him.

"Sure buddy, I doubt you could pull fourteen now. The Republic's gotten a lot tougher on runners than the Empire was. The Hutts can't bribe them captains the way they used to." the smuggler scoffed.

"If you hadn't been making out with that Wookiee while your wife did the heavy lifting all that time you might have known that." a hanger on to said smuggler jeered.

Chewbacca roared in offense. "Easy now." Han calmed him. He then turned back to the table of smugglers. "Now look what you did, you don't want to make Chewie angry. Believe me you wouldn't like that." Han warned them in a somewhat lighthearted fashion.

"All jokes aside. Why have you come back? We haven't seen you around in years, decades even." Malak Buun asked.

Han went around the table and sat down across from Malak Buun, one on one apart from the common rabble at the larger booths. Malak was a respected smuggler, leagues beyond the majority of the assorted riffraff taking up space here today. It wasn't that the Republic had stepped up its game Han thought to himself; it was that the underworld wasn't up to the same caliber as it once was. That mental jab reassured himself that he belonged here as he sat across from his old friend, perhaps the only one here that still would call Han a friend instead of a sellout. Chewbacca stood behind Han and watched the area around them in case anything fishy were to go down. Certain breakaway Imperial factions as well as Jabba's kin had it out for Han so there were a number of bounties on his head. Anyone seeking an easy buck on that head would soon find that with Chewie by his side that buck would be anything but easy.

"To be honest I was thinking about getting back into the game. One more time, for old times' sake." Han confessed.

"Oh really?" Malak Buun asked.

"Yeah. I'm losing my mind out there. It's like watching the grass grow. You know me; I can't sit still for more than two seconds." Han told him.

"Well the game has changed quite a bit since you last played old buddy." Malak replied.

"That's why I was hoping that someone like you could help me with that. You know to shake off the rust, update the system and so forth." Han replied.

"Well as much as I would love to kick back and do a run with you I've got nothing going on at the present and besides, that Wookiee scares me." Malak said half-jokingly.

"But if you go check with Bodo over at table 5B I hear he's working on a big score and is trying to recruit the best crew to help him with the job." Malak added.

"I'm nobody's crew. I lead, and I prefer to work alone." Han replied. "But, just this once I suppose I could make an exception." Han laughed.

"Thanks Malak, nice seeing you again." Han said slapping Malak's arm in a sign of friendship as he stood up.

"Don't mention it. Now don't you be a stranger old man." Malak replied before Han and Chewie went off to find this Bodo.

When they found table 5B and saw who Bodo was a sense of nervousness entered Han. Though he didn't show it, being all aloof and carefree as usual, it was there. He was an easygoing guy but not stupid, fear was a natural response and both fear and cunning combined had kept him alive against the most difficult odds. The source of said tension, or caution would be a better word was in a clear familial resemblance which this Bodo shared to someone Han knew, someone Han had a bitter rivalry in the past, a rivalry that did not end well for the other party. It was clear to Han that Bodo was in some way related to Greedo, the bounty hunter Jabba had sent for him on Tatooine all those years ago. While the casual observer would say all of Greedo's kind looked alike Han could distinguish notable characteristics in many alien species which most humans simply overlooked. Han was certain this was a blood relative of Greedo for he truly did look just like him. Bodo sat alone at the table which was down a hallway in a recessed dimly lit nook of the establishment, away from all the loud music and carousing. Bodo was sipping a specialty drink and reading a tablet device in an alien language. He didn't seem to pay Han much attention until he was practically looming over him and only then did he look up with a "Can I help you?" expression on his face.

Han approached Bodo not looking the least bit concerned in spite of his mental preparedness. "So you are Bodo I presume?" Han asked.

"And you are Han Solo. Yes, my father had told me all about you." Bodo replied.

"Your father?" Han asked trying to look surprised.

"Yes, my father. I believe you knew him. Greedo." Bodo answered.

"Greedo's kid huh? Looks like you turned out just like your father. Hope you don't blame me for what happened to him kid. After all he shot first." Han said placing his hands on the back of the chair across from Bodo but not sitting down.

"Not at all. He went toe to toe with you and his aim was not up to snuff so he paid the price for it. You take that kind of risk as a bounty hunter, that is what makes the reward all the sweeter." Bodo replied cordially. "As for who shot first I have several eyewitnesses that told me my father did not shoot at all." Bodo corrected Han.

Han smirked in seeing that Greedo's own offspring challenged his assertion that Greedo shot first but didn't seem to care. "Huh, you don't say. I always thought the money was what made the reward sweeter but that could just be the nostalgia talking." Han replied.

"You know I didn't even know Greedo had kids." Han mentioned. Not that he had ever given much thought to the matter; once he had fired his blaster in the Mos Eisley cantina he had been done with it and Greedo had never even entered his mind after that.

"My father actually had two broods. I was born with the second, along with my 76 brothers and sisters." Bodo replied.

"Damn that's a lot of kids!" Han softly exclaimed.

"It is quite normal for my people actually." Bodo stated

"What about you? Have you ever given thought to children of your own?" Bodo cocked his head to the side and asked Han.

"Heh, Leia's been talking about having a litter of our own lately but I don't know. Being stuck at home with a kid, diaper droids and toddler time, not exactly the life I envision for myself." Han said with an obvious lack of enthusiasm in his voice.

"I see. Now I assume you came here to do more than banter about my father and your wife. Let us get down to business shall we?" Bodo changed the subject sensing that Han was somewhat depressed over the prospect of family life and being tied down even more so that he already was.

"You got me there. I was actually wanting to see you about that job you were recruiting for." Han told Bodo.

"So the great Han Solo wants to work for the son of Greedo eh? How humiliating that must be for you. What, did you get yourself in trouble with the princess?" Bodo mockingly asked Han.

"No, I just wanted a piece of the action again; I'm a lion not a housecat." Han answered. "Oh, and kid, you might be hiring me but I won't be working under you. If there's anything you should know about me is that I don't take orders well. I've got a ship, I've got a Wookiee, all you need to do is point me in the direction I need to go and leave the rest to me." Han continued.

"Who said I'm hiring you?" Bodo replied.

"The fact that no one else in this joint is crazy enough to take you up on your offer. With the amount you're paying you should have a line going out the door just of folks that want to try out for the team. The fact that there wasn't one person hanging around you when we got here leads me to believe that you're selling suicide here." Han confidently answered.

"That and I chatted with those guys over there. They said no one's touching your offer with a twenty foot pole." Han lied with a straight face subtly pointing at a group of ace smugglers carousing and playing dice.

"I see you're a good judge of character Mr. Solo. Do I really come off as that desperate?" Bodo asked.

"Sorry to say it kid but yes." Han replied.

The answer made Bodo's countenance fall and he looked slightly down in disgrace, the changes in his inflection, subtle yes but might as well be glaringly obvious to Han's still keen powers of perception.

"Chin up kid, cause you're in luck. I'll take your job, whatever it is and tell you what; I'll even do it pro bono. You don't have to pay me anything up front, just cover my costs and maybe spot me a few rounds and get me into one of those high stakes card games when I get back." Han offered as encouragement to Bodo.

"You serious?" Bodo asked looking up skeptically at Han.

"You bet I am. Look, I'm married to a princess so I don't need money. What I need is my reputation back; I want to feel like I did when I was back riding fire with the best of them." Han said.

"In that case sure thing Mr. Solo, I'll help you with your mid-life crisis." Bodo replied jovially.

"You won't regret it kid. Oh, and could you please not call me Mr. Solo, Han will do just fine." Han said. Chewbacca roared in an almost laughing manner in agreement with his longtime friend and life partner.

"So, what are we doing?" Han asked.

"I need something stolen, something valuable. What it is I can't say right here, eyes everywhere but if you'd follow me back to my ship I'll give you the lowdown." Bodo replied.

"Stolen? Am I a thief or a smuggler?" Han asked cynically.

"Repossessed might be the proper term since this item was originally stolen by those who currently hold it. Think of it as treasure hunting, you did start out as a treasure hunter no?" Bodo elaborated.

"That's what Lando called himself. I was never in denial about what I was." Han corrected Bodo.

"Fair enough. But let's get to the ship ok?" Bodo told Han.

With that the son of Greedo and the man who killed him went to Bodo's ship, secured all entry points, scanned for stowaways and then went into his private quarters to discuss the details of the job. The room being too confined for the large Wookiee, Chewbacca decided to wait outside the door for them and stand watch for any prying eyes and ears that could have escaped detection. Bodo's quarters were ridiculously effeminate to the point Han wondered if he was Greedo's daughter rather than his son as he had claimed. Nevertheless he was here for the job not to question his employer's decorating style.

"Getting a little intimate in here are we?" Han joked. "You do know I'm a married man?" he continued sarcastically.

Bodo didn't get the joke and instead activated a holoprojector on a nightstand next to his fancifully adorned bunk. The holoprojector displayed a large beautifully polished crystalline object resembling the three forks of a trident or the leaves of an aloe vera plant. "This is what we are after, or more particularly what the New Jedi Order is after." Bodo explained.

"The New Jedi Order? You mean Luke?" Han asked. He was baffled at why his old friend, brother in law and stoic Jedi Master would be hiring out thieves from the Corelian underworld to do his bidding. That sounded more like Dark Side stuff to Han.

"Not Master Skywalker directly but yes the Jedi Order. What we're looking for is precious to them; it's a sacred Jedi relic dating back centuries prior to the formation of the New Republic and even the Jedi order itself. It's believed to be the heart of an object which once served as a corporeal nexus for the energies of the Living Force, a Soul Collector if you will. Now I don't know if any of that mumbo jumbo is true but I do know that this item is extremely valuable to the Jedi to the extent they are willing to contract its location and capture to degenerates like us. They clearly don't have the manpower to recover this relic and restore their order at the same time." Bodo elucidated.

"Well from what I've learned kid is that most of that mumbo jumbo back stuff, guess what? It's true." Han remarked.

"So you want me to go snatch some crystal up so you can hand it over to Luke. That sounds easy enough, who has it right now?" Han inquired.

"It's currently being held by one of the breakaway groups that splintered off the Empire when it collapsed. The only one that actually acknowledges the ceasefire with the New Republic." Bodo replied.

"Hux's boys, the cowards who stayed clear of Jakku." Han commented cynically.

"And whoever he is currently serving under. I heard Grand Moff Merrin was overthrown so there's a bit of a power vacuum there at the moment. Rumor has it they didn't go to war with the other splinter groups like Thrawn did either; they just sat there out by the Unknown Regions and waited. Now we know what they've been doing, snatching up all these relics. Seems old Palpatine and the Sith valued them just as the Jedi did. Rumor has it they hold the secret to make some kind of weapon that would make the Death Star look like a child's toy. Other people say they contain some freaky ancient knowledge to resurrect the dead or something." Bodo explained.

"I've crossed the bad side of the Empire more times than I can count but I honestly don't think they've taken up grave robbing as a military strategy. Probably whoever their hokey leader is has a big hard on for the Sith and wants to collect memorabilia of their glory days. Palpatine left a damn good impression on these guys. Listen to some of them talk and it's like they practically worship the old codger." Han comedically dismissed the Empire as being an item of concern.

He had bumped tails with Captain Hux before and thought he had a pretty good gauge on his character. He was a clever commander, not quite up to the level of Thrawn but he knew how to play both the underdog and the big boy. His main fault was his ego and his overzealous admiration for his role model, the crumply old prune of a former Emperor. Han could swear that Hux would get a stiffy simply at the mention of the word Palpatine.

"This one fellow over at the former Imperial War Academy, Brendol Hux I believe his name was, he was the worst. I swear had he been given the chance he would have been all over Palpatine's nuts until he sucked the Dark Side right out of him. His boy seems to have taken up the habit as well, ain't nothing I can't handle." Han remarked.

"Oh yes, Captain Hux. He's out running a Star Destroyer out in the Unknown Regions. The _Vendetta_ I believe, it's the only Eclipse class left in service." Bodo replied.

"The _Vendetta_ , I've stared down that thing before. It's not something you want to be on the business end of I'll tell you that much." Han added. "Is that where they are keeping the crystal?" Han asked.

"No, it's on a planet out there between the New Empire's holdings and the Chiss, one of those the Yuuzhan Vong skipped over during the invasion. It's kind of unremarkable really, that is until you get closer." Bodo answered.

"Now I'd have to warn you that we have already attempted a raid earlier this year and it failed miserably. Out of twenty seven men the Jedi Order sent out through their last intermediary only two made it back to tell the tale. I was one of those two and henceforth became the new liaison between the guy that's running interference for the Jedi and the wonderful world of the underworld." Bodo cautioned Han.

"If you tried to make a smash and grab already what's to say that the Empire hasn't moved the crystal by now?" Han asked.

He found the strategy to be a little lacking on the Empire's fault. After all their recent losses he would have figured they would have to resort to brains over brawn by now in order to get things done. Certainly the Empire hasn't fallen so far that it could be bested by a small band of criminals? The Old Empire wouldn't have considered them a threat but if this crystal was really that precious any and all attempts to get at it should be taken seriously by any commander worth his salt. Han also questioned this shady liaison between Bodo and the Jedi that Bodo spoke of. He understood the need for multiple degrees of separation to distance the honor of the New Jedi Order from the vile and treacherous underpinnings of whom they had to rely on to retrieve the crystal. They couldn't go to the Republic due to the peace accords, nor could they do the job themselves for the reasons Bodo stated. It still seemed odd and somewhat suspicious to Han. Nonetheless questioning the motive of his benefactor in this case was something that could be done at another time, after he had the crystal in his possession. Making a fuss about it now would do him no favors and only serve to cast doubt upon Han's reliability for the mission. He didn't need this shady character to have time to prepare for a big sit down and possibly a double-cross when Han returned with goods in hand.

"It's still there. There is no planet more secure and less likely to draw attention that this one. It's a cold desolate world with little signs of civilization. The Imperial operation appears to be little more than a mining operation though its defenses are truly incredible. My liaison says the Jedi have kept a tight watch on the planet and are certain it hasn't been moved. In fact it is still in the same vault that it was kept in then." Bodo assured Han.

"Ok so this vault?" Han moved on to the next point of discussion.

"Ah yes." Bodo said switching the holoprojector to zoom in on a cutaway image of the planet. "The vault is buried in a secure chamber five miles down into the planet's crust. This tubules you see here and here extend all the way to the core and are used to draw power out for the base's operation. There is also some kind of new construction over here near the equator but that isn't relevant to our mission." Bodo explained.

"Now we have all the codes to get down the shaft using the Empire's own lifts. If those don't work there are service hatches and ladders around the periphery which will grant one a descent into the vault sector. Unbeknownst to the Empire we also have the software which generates their codes so if need be we can crack the final gate code to get into the outer vault using this device." Bodo went on to say before picking up a handheld rectangular object and placing it on the table.

"Now the problem is once you're inside the inner vault the chamber is shielded and the generators are actually located within the shield perimeter. We tried to cut power but that only caused the life support systems to go offline and flood the chamber with toxic gas. The shield generators themselves run on an entirely self-contained source of power which we are still unaware of and it doesn't show up on any of the schematics." Bodo explained.

"Can't you just blast it? If you keep pounding at a shield eventually you're going to overload the emitters. It works that way on a starship, so it should work that way in a box too." Han suggested.

"We tried that. Our blasters didn't work on it and the stormtroopers were there before we could try anything else. The shield didn't absorb the energy like you are suggesting, our blasts were just refracted away. It tore up the outer chamber bad and we even killed a few of our own guys with our own weapons." Bodo explained.

"Well damn. Hmmm." Han said letting out a deep breath.

Chewbacca pounded on the door and growled from outside reminding Han he had to be back home for dinner with Leia before sundown. She wouldn't take kindly to him being out drunk all night, not on their first night back on Corelia since the honeymoon. She had intended on something special for the two of them to do tonight, and it didn't involve dirty smugglers, gamblers and to Chewie's dismay Wookiees.

"Ah snap! Looks like I've got to go. Hot date. I'll get with you tomorrow and work out how we're going to do this. I'm your man so don't go hiring nobody else ok?" Han told Bodo.

"Ok. Here are the sensor logs from the last encounter. See if you can figure out how to break in tonight when you get a chance." Bodo replied and then fumbled through a drawer and handed Han a pad device.

Han and Chewie then returned to he and Leia's Corelian villa, their home away from home when they were on Han's home planet. It was on a green grassy hill on the east side of the old capital city with the outer slums to the south and the spaceport to the north. The area around the villa was sparsely populated and rather upscale. These were the estates of the former Corelian nobility and those descended from the kings of old. They also were the residences of the new bandit kings, the noble hearted crime bosses who defied the Empire and like Han had settled into the life of upstanding citizens of the New Republic, many of which became successful entrepreneurs, diplomats and merchants. Those high ranking government officials who desired a retreat from the provincial hub of the old capital or those Corelian representatives on Coruscant held estates in this locality for second homes much as the Solos did.

Their home was surrounded by a polished bronze fence around several dozen acres of well-manicured grass and a small cultivated orchard. Pleasant blue and yellow birds fluttered between the trees which cast long shadows over the ornate walkways and fountains by the reddish orange light of the setting Corelian sun. A small staff of groundskeepers and a handful of Leia's guard hovered around the estate on their business, some of which prepared to turn in for the night. Marble statues stood along the cobblestone walkway leading from the gate to the house itself. The estate was an expansive palatial manor covered with a pinkish beige plaster coating with wide airy archways and covered open hallways between the three domicile structures which comprised the estate. The recessed vaulted windows were liberally placed on the two upper floors while the more modest and secure circular portals were sporadically placed on the ground floor. The banners of the Republic and the crests of Corelia and Alderaan hung in the walkways adding to the regal feel of the estate. This place was uncomfortably too pompous for Han's taste; he never truly reveled in the honor of his heroics from the war. For him he just did what he had to do, often self-serving and more in the pursuit of his now wife than for any noble intention. This grand estate was something more suited towards Leia and her time as the princess of Alderaan. Speaking of, it had seemed to Han in the time following their courtship and honeymoon his wife, the great Senator and possibly future Chancellor should she accept, had started to drift back more so towards the attitude of royalty. The scruffiness of Han's persona that had rubbed off on her had smoothed itself out; heck, to be honest Han's own persona had gotten pretty smoothed out and tame itself. Nonetheless Han began to feel as if Leia was becoming more entitled and distant from the struggles they had once faced together. If not for her fervent idealism she would have fully given in to a regal pose and most likely become a stranger to Han, still deep down the rugged smuggler at heart.

Han walked down the path as the sunset faded into shadow. The electric lighting of the estate illuminated just as Han reached the grand archway beneath which the gold trimmed blue double doors leading into his Corelian home stood. When Han entered into the front door a pair of humanoid medical droids were leaving. Han curiously raised his brow and allowed the droids to pass. He then went through the foyer and the grand hall into the dining room to find it empty. Then into kitchen and entertaining room to find similar results. He then went up to the second floor and bumped into Leia coming out of the master bedroom.

"Where the heck have you been you careless scruffy Nerf Herder!?" Leia asked visibly upset by Han showing up late.

"Hey now, easy on the scruffy part. I took a shower and shaved this morning." Han jokingly deflected her accusations.

"You smell like Corelian starbursts and moonshine though. Have you been drinking?" Leia hurled fresh accusations at Han.

"No. Well, a little." Han answered scratching his neck behind his ear and looking down and away when he spoke.

"Han! I told you we had plans tonight and I wanted you to look your best and be on your best behavior. Just for one day Han, is that too much to ask?" Leia snapped at him.

"Relax honey, it was just a few drinks and I would've made it back in plenty of time if Chewie here hadn't wanted to go shopping for trinkets on the way home." Han apologetically brushed aside Leia's concerns.

Chewbacca growled a gargling growl to say "Don't you bring me into this."

Leia let out a frustrated sigh. "It doesn't matter anyways. I've got something else I need to discuss with you." Leia told Han.

"Uh oh, you know what that means." Han turned to Chewbacca and said in a sarcastically fearful voice.

"Could you ask your Wookie to give us a moment in private please?" Leia snapped at Han.

Han looked at Chewbacca and they both shrugged their shoulders.

"After all this time you'd think Chewie would like to find a wife of his own, or at least a girlfriend." Leia continued.

"He has a girlfriend; he just doesn't like to see her." Han replied.

Chewie roared in agreement with Han. Han smiled and looked up at his friend.

He then went about appeasing his upset wife. "You heard the lady though Chewie, I just need a little time alone. I'll see you in the morning buddy." Han told Chewbacca. The wookiee parted company with the Solos leaving Han and Leia alone in their bedroom.

"I swear sometimes you love that Wookiee more than me." Leia scoffed angrily.

Han walked over and sat down on the bed while Leia stood with that same scowl on her face in the hallway.

"So what did you want to talk to be about, other than being a little off the track today?" Han asked.

"Off the track! Why you . . ." Leia started to fume but decided the argument wasn't worth it.

Han worried about what she might say, about what this news could be though he didn't show it. Could Leia be meaning to for them to separate? he knew he had his faults but he was still the man that Leia had fallen in love with, could she not see that anymore? Did she want them to swing and see other people; because Han wasn't cool with that, unless she was talking about Lando in that case well, he would consider it. Han braced for a chewing out session or some nerve racking heart to heart where that infamous line "It's not you it's me" which in fact meant "It most definitely is you." would present itself in the course of discussion. Filled with worry Han looked as casual and unconcerned as ever, he didn't want it to end but he didn't want Leia to think he cared one way or the other. That in a nutshell was part of his charm.

What came out of Leia's mouth was the third thing Han did not want to hear and the one thing he hadn't thought of while waiting. "Han, I'm pregnant." Leia told her husband.

"That's. . ." Han started to say but fumbled around for the right words to say next. he wasn't happy about the news but he couldn't express that to Leia. "That's great!" Han outright lied to his wife. Even his tone, inflection and cheerful countenance were a lie.

There goes his chance to get back in the game, to feel like he made a difference in the galaxy again, just to have that rush he felt in his younger years. Here it was staring him in the face, diaper droids, sippy cups, dopey kid's entertainment programs, and all the cutesy dress ups and family portraits he could stand in for til he puked. There he was, now about to be shackled to the life of a mere house husband and nanny while his wife went off to be the big shot in galactic politics. How emasculating it was for the former bad boy to be turned into Mr. Mom. If that was the life ahead of him, well he was glad that Bodo was giving him one last shot to get out there and ride fire with the best of them before he resigned himself to the doldrums of mundane family life. Now Han began to starting thinking more about the mission and in doing so blocked out the crushing depression he felt at the loss of his presumptive freedom growing in Leia's womb.

"They're twins, a boy and a girl." Leia told Han.

"Twins. Wow." Han said, feigning interest.

"What should we name them?" Leia asked.

"I don't know, I'm never good with that naming stuff. The Falcon already had a name when I won it from Lando." Han replied, distracted more on his musings concerning his "treasure hunting" expedition than on picking out baby names.

"We're talking about children here not that rusted up old starship." Leia said to Han, now in a more pleasant, joking fashion. It seemed as if she had already forgiven her husband for his earlier foul ups, being late and all.

"Hey! Rusted? I'll have you know I take very good care of her; there's not a speck of rust to be found on that ship." Han protested.

"I'll go with whatever you decide as long as it's not too crazy." Han said in all seriousness.

"How about Jaina for the girl? The boy we'll name Ben." Leia responded, having already decided long before she ever was pregnant. As she drew closer towards the waning years of her fertility Leia had often thought about children and had made a list of several names she liked, Jacen, Jaina, Ben, Anakin, even Jar Jar though her friends were certain the last one was a joke.

"After Old Man Kenobi?" Han asked.

"Yes. He had a big part in the restoration of the Republic and in us meeting each other. If it wasn't for him the rebellion would have been over before it got off the ground." Leia said.

"When things were at their darkest he really was my only hope." Leia continued.

"Then Ben it is. Not really vibing on Jaina though." Han agreed.

"What do you have in mind then?" Leia asked Han.

Han got up from the bed and walked towards his wife pondering on the question. He never really gave baby names half a thought; he preferred to avoid the thought of children altogether. Han accepted the fact that he wasn't cut out to be a father and as such never really prepared for the actuality that it could occur. Han thought about it but a short while later his mind was on other things. Han stood in the doorway appearing to think up a girl's name but instead was reflecting back on what Bodo told him about the Imperial compound's shields.

"Ray, that's it!" Han said and abruptly left the room after having a "Eureka!" moment. Leia had only briefly looked away from her husband and out the bedroom window in that split second which Han dashed out of the room.

"Rey? A little odd, but ok." Leia replied only to find Han gone in the blink of an eye.

"Ray shielding, that's why he couldn't get through." Han mumbled as he walked out of the villa and down towards the busy streets of the Corelian capital city. He was so excited that he had to tell Bodo this instant. Later on he would get to thinking about his daughter but for now it was all about the shielding.

Back at the villa Leia let out a deep sigh and walked downstairs only to find her husband long gone. What was he up to? He was a good man but damn it she just couldn't keep that wild stallion tied down. She walked back up to the master bedroom, turned on the lights and sat down on the bed. Her eyes started to water up and she wiped the tears from them with her hands before they could be shed. Here she was at a major milestone in her life and all her husband could think about was some guy named Ray? She loved him but seriously the man really tested her patience at times, this time especially. Well, it was a lousy choice but it was going to stick, if for nothing than to spite her husband. Leia would name their daughter Rey.


End file.
